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Wildlife Management

Wildlife management is not just about the overall care of wildlife and habitat, but also the control of human interaction, game capture and ranching, and understanding the animal's wellbeing. These four courses give you an in-depth guide to wildlife management, and can be the first step towards a truly rewarding career in caring for wildlife.

Wildlife Management

prices start from ZAR 2,710

Learn about wildlife capture and relocation, parasites and diseases, nutrition and how to assess the area around you. Learn to identify ideal habitats, the specific needs of various species, and the perfect translocation techniques.

Module 1: Principles of wildlife management

This module contains a single component that functions as the broad introduction to the science of wildlife management. This component covers the subjects of energy flow, ecosystems, plant succession, habitat resilience and ecological capacity. In addition, the various approaches to wildlife management are reviewed.

Module 2: Habitat management

Wildlife management assumes habitat management. This module, broken up into four distinct components takes a detailed look at habitat characteristics, habitat and game assessment.

Module 3: Game management

The most visible and attractive feature of any reserve is obviously its animals. In the four components that comprise this module, many essential aspects of managing these populations are dealt with, including: suitable game species, managing wildlife, population dynamics and the sustainable utilisation of wildlife.

Module 4: Game capture & translocation

This broad topic is perhaps the most exciting aspect of wildlife management. The detailed aspects of game capture, game in temporary captivity, game translocation and game counts are featured in five highly detailed components.

Module 5: Nutritional physiology for herbivores

In order to successfully manage wildlife, it is essential that the various ways in which they feed are known. Carnivores generally take care of themselves, but herbivores frequently require monitoring and management. The two subjects of herbivore anatomy and physiology, together with the nutritional value of plants, are covered in this component.

Module 6: Nutritional chemistry for herbivores

Not all vegetation available to game animals is good for them. All game reserves will have plants that either have advanced protective mechanisms or even toxins. Wildlife managers need to be aware of plant chemicals and toxins and how to manage toxic plants and treat affected game animals. These and other related issues are dealt with in this module.

Module 7: Wildlife nutrition

Habitat conditions vary quite widely throughout the year. Due to this phenomenon, herbivores frequently require supplementary feeding. It is crucial that game managers have a good understanding of mineral deficiencies, medicinal licks, energy licks and mineral licks. These subjects, together with the topic of nutrition in captivity, make up the three components of this module.

Module 8: Wildlife diseases

In much the same way as all other animals, game animals are frequently afflicted with disease. This module's four components give a detailed account of the general principles of disease, followed by a comprehensive look at bacterial diseases, viral diseases and protozoal diseases of both herbivores and carnivores.

Module 9: Wildlife parasites

In addition to disease, a major factor in the ecology and biology of all game animals is their association with parasites. Two thorough components cover the important subjects of epidemiology and specific parasites as well as the general biology and control of internal and external parasites.

Module 10: Toxic plants

This module, closely linked to the topics covered in Module 6 takes a look at another side of toxic plants. These are plants that are completely inedible. Specific toxic plant species, their effect on wildlife and animal's innate ability to avoid, dilute or detoxify these plants is examined.

Module 11: Soil

One critically important aspect of habitat management that is frequently overlooked is soil management. The three components that comprise this module take an in-depth view of soils including the various soil forming processes and factors and the prevention and control of soil erosion.

Module 12: Assessing vegetation

At this point of the course, we begin to look at how to draw up and implement a comprehensive wildlife and habitat management plan. Using a case study, a step-by-step approach is taken to examine: The study area, classifying plant communities, calculating plant biomass and assessing veld condition. These topics form the basis of any wildlife management plan.

Module 13: Determining carrying capacity

While Module 12 dealt with the vegetation aspects of management, this module focuses on the game. Four comprehensive components examine how to calculate grazing capacity, browsing capacity and ecological capacity. These fundamental tools of wildlife management then expand into the application of this topic to the monitoring of game populations and the determination of stocking rates.

Module 14: Game reserve management

This final module incorporates all the preceding subjects in a single all-encompassing component: The wildlife management plan.

Human-Wildlife Conflicts

Find out the causes of human-wildlife conflict and the methods of prevention. Discuss the best ways of controlling human interaction, and whether lethal methods are still acceptable.

Module 1: Introduction to human-wildlife conflicts

The introductory module looks at how species become to be classed as problematic from an ecological perspective and the how's and why's of control.

Module 2: Non-lethal methodology

Module 2 explores the best possible resolution to problem animals, that of deterrents. Deterrents are divided into two categories: physical and chemical, we study them all.

Module 3: Capture & translocation

The obvious solution to conflict with animals is to capture and remove them a suitable location where human interaction is no longer problematic. To this end we close explore the physical capture of animals with particular focus on Hippos and crocodiles. We continue the discussion with looking at chemical capture and complete the topic with a look at the mass capture of Redbilled Quelea.

Module 4: Lethal methodology

Are lethal methods of problem animal control ever unavoidable? Two components consider this question and the species most likely to be sighted for destruction.

Module 5: The behaviour of problem animals

We return to the subject of animal capture, but from the perspective of animal behaviour. The module of three components considers herbivores, carnivores and primates.

Capture, Care & Management of Wildlife

prices start from ZAR 1,985

The safest ways of wildlife capture, as well as proven methods of care and rehabilitation. Looking at specific game captures, methods of capture and gaining a greater understanding of the processes of game capture and care.

Module 1: Ethics considerations of wildlife management

This introductory module consists of a single component which encompasses: a foreword to the course, various acknowledgements, how to use this course, definition of terms, the authors introduction, reasons for the management of wildlife, 8 appendices, the references used and the course synopsis.

Module 2: Planning a game capture operation

There are a myriad of aspects that need to be into account prior to embarking on any game capture operation. This module containing a single comprehensive component details the general aspects demanding consideration.

Module 3: Chemical capture of wildlife

Two major topics are considered in this module: drugs for the capture of wildlife and drug accidents and the response to them. These are fairly technical components and detail with the wide variety of drugs used for game capture and their effects.

Module 4: Drug delivery for game capture

The axiom that "necessity is the mother of invention" is no truer than in the game capture arena. We discuss all the conventional and many of the unconventional methods employed to administer capture drugs.

Module 5: Non-mass capture techniques

Many species must be captured on an individual basis. This module looks closely at the various ways in which this is achieved.

Module 7: Capture & management of large herbivores

The six species of large herbivore that are routinely captured include the elephant, rhinoceros species, Giraffe, buffalo and Hippopotamus. Four comprehensive components cover the details.

Module 8: Capture of plains game

We divide the capture of plains game into large, medium and small antelope, the zebra, Warthog and ostrich. 28 individual species are individually examined.

Module 9: Capturing carnivores

Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Cheetah and Wild Dog are the principle carnivorous species captured along with crocodile; each species merits its own specific account.

Module 10: Game translocation

The transportation of game is a highly specialised sub-field of game capture. Transportation crates followed by specialised vehicles and equipment are the two components for this module.

Module 11: Helicopters in game capture

Most game capture operations today involve the use of helicopters. In this module we take an in-depth look at the use of helicopters as a capture tool.

Module 12: Loading, transport & unloading of game

The proper handling of game during a capture operation is critical in avoiding latent capture myopathy. It's during the loading, translocation and unloading of game where game handling is most prevalent.

Module 13: Game in temporary captivity

Four components are required for this subject, namely: bomas for capture and release, specialised temporary facilities, considerations for game auctions and boma management.

Module 14: Culling

The culling of elephant, Hippopotamus and crocodile are considered here.

Game Ranch Economics

prices start from ZAR 860

A look at the economic side of game ranching, and the effect of game management on the wildlife. A perfect tie-in with other game ranching and wildlife management courses, this covers the some of the more practical aspects of game ranches.

Module 1: Introduction to game ranching

Containing a single introductory component, this module takes comprehensive and critical look at the trends toward game ranching in Southern Africa.

Module 2: Game ranching economics

The five distinct topics of: Upfront Cost of Game Ranches, Current Income and Expenditure of Game Ranches, Specific Infrastructure Expenses for Ecotourism, Profitability Trends in Game Ranching and Profit Drivers of Game Ranching; are closely analysed in this module.

Module 3: Game ranch profitability & management

Conservancies, game farm profitability, game management and business ethics are the aspects of game ranching that are effectively dealt with under this concluding module.